Steam-truck.



Patented out. |4, |902.

W. H. KNIGHT.

S T EA M TB U CK.

(Application led Feb. 25, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

'me Ncnms PETERS co. Pwouuruo.. wAsmNs-romp, c

Patsnted Oct. I4, |902.

No. 7u,n2.

W. H. KNIGHT. STE-AM TRUCK.

(Application led Feb. 25,l 1901.)

2 sheets-she'at 2.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. KNIGHT, oF NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIGNoR To APNEUMATIC CARRIAGE VIRGINIA.

CO., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF WEST STEAM-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '711,1 12, dated October 14, 1902.

Application filed February 25, 1901. Serial No. 48,744. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER H. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Trucks, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in steam-trucks or motor-vehicles; and its object is to provide a truck in which the steam generating and motive members are rigidly connected together in such manner as to reduce to a minimum the difficulties usually arising from deterioration, leakage, and condensation in long pipe connections and to provide spring-support for such members, while also providing for driving connection between the motive members and the drivingwheels, which are also the steering-wheels, and the driving connections are such as to allow of the turning movements of each steering-wheel on its steering-pivot.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal section of a motor-vehicle ernbodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section in the plane of the fore or steering axles with parts on one side in elevation.

I have herein shown my invention applied to a cart or truck, it being especially intended for heavy work, though it is applicable to motor-vehicles generally.

l represents the truck or runnin g-gear frame of the vehicle, and 2 the vehicle-body, supported on the truck-frame by springs 3 3'. Rear wheels 4 and fore-truck wheels 5 are provided, as usual, the said fore-truck wheels being mounted on independent steering-axles 6, pivoted to vertical spindles 7, mounted in bearings 8 in the truck-frame l.

A boiler is mounted on the vehicle-body 2 by hanger-brackets or frame 9V and comprises lower water-drums 10 and one upper drum 11, extending over the water-drums and connected thereto by risers or pipes 11a. The {ire-box 1,2 is located below the boilers and provided with grate 13, in which are arranged I pipes 13a, connected with the boiler or with a manhole 16 being arranged in the fire-box front opposite each front head 15 to enable access to said tubes. The course of the products of combustion is from the re boX through tubes 14 and up through the stack 16a. The boiler-carrying frame 9 is provided with vertical guiding-plates 17, which run on corresponding guideslS on the truck-frame 1, so as to guide 4the frame 9 vertically.

Two engines 20 are rigidly mounted, one on each side of the boiler, and are connected to the upper drum 11 by a common supplypipe 21, controlled by throttle 22. Each engine has a valvewhose operating-spindle is indicated at 23 and is connected by a level` 24 and link25 from a controller 26, here shown as a pedal. As the engines 20 partake of the vertical movements of` the vehicle-body it is necessary to provide extensible driving connections or couplings between their shafts 29 and the vehicle wheels, these being here shown as cross-head devices 27 28, engaging one another,.so as to permit of axial movement, but to transmit rotative movement, (by means of crossgrooves in one member engaged by cross-ribson the other,) one of said members being connected to the main or driven shaft 29 of the compensating steamengine, which shafts 29 are vertical and in line with the pivots 7 of the steering-wheels, while the other member is connected to a bevel-Wheel 30, pivoted on the steering-pivot 7 of the compensating steering-wheel 5 and engaging with a bevel-wheel 31 on said steering-Wheel. In steering the wheels 5 are turned on their pivots 7 by steering hand-wheel 32, rod 33, suitable connections sitnated'at 34, and in such movement the connection through the bevel-wheel 30, concentric withthe steering-pivot 7, enables the driving connection to be maintained.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with the truck frame and the steering wheels mounted on independent axles, pivoted to said truck frame, of two independent engines spring-supported on said truck-frame and having their shafts respectively inline with the pivots of said independent axles, and independently connected to said steering- Wheels through extensible connections, each consisting of sliding coupling members one of which is carried by the engine-shaft and the other is mounted on the pivot of the independent aXle, such driving connections comprising a power-transmitting gear concentric With the pivots of the steering-axles.

2. In a steam-vehicle, the combination with the truck-frame, and the steering-Wheels independently pivoted on said truck-frame, of the steam-engines spring-supported on said truck-frame, with vertical engine-shafts in line with the pivots of the steering-Wheels and gears on said steering-Wheels and gears engaging therewith and mounted concentrically with the pivots of the steering-Wheels, 

